


My Friend, My Ex-Lover

by LenoraLana



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Abortion, Breakup, F/F, Normandy - Freeform, Other, Romance, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-07-03 23:38:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15829284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LenoraLana/pseuds/LenoraLana
Summary: Commander Amelia Shepard and Liara cleanly and civilly decide to break up. But they also have something further to discuss.





	My Friend, My Ex-Lover

“Are you sure this is what you want to do?” Commander Amelia Shepard asked, her brow furrowing as she slowly sank into a chair next to Liara.

 

The asari didn’t quite look at her, though the bridge of her nose turned slightly in her human friend’s direction. “Yes,” Liara said after three seconds of hesitation.

 

When it came to someone that you really cared about, sometimes three seconds could feel like three minutes. Or even an hour. “I just want to make sure that you’re sure,” Shepard said, finally reaching out to touch the blue-skinned hand.

 

Slender, blue fingers that were cool to the human touch tightened around Shepard’s, welcoming. Somewhere deep inside, each of them felt that they wanted to do more in the privacy of the Commander’s quarters than hold hands. They wanted to embrace, to feel the blending of their minds and bodies as they had experienced before. But now…

 

Now, it would no longer be appropriate.

 

Liara and Javik had become quite serious over the last few weeks. In a manner of speaking, Shepard had always known deep down that if her friend had ever met a real live Prothean, she would chose that individual over Shepard. After all, Liara’s romantic intentions toward Shepard had started due to infatuation and idolization, not to mention scientific interest, all because Shepard had been touched by Prothean technology. Not once, but twice.

 

There was no competing with Javik, now that he had turned up. Liara had become somewhat disillusioned of the Protheans after meeting him and learning more about his race and how he thought. But there was no denying that there was something between them now, particularly since even someone as old and hardened as Javik could admit that he valued companionship.

 

In many cases, very few people could resist the attention of a beautiful young asari. Particularly since their natural biology enabled them to appear alluring to any member of any species. It was even rumored that some of the more mischievous asari inspired erections in individuals they passed, especially in cases where the party they were influencing did not interest the asari personally. What better way to tease or give a creep a cruel brush-off, than to entice the right areas of the other’s body and then give them the cold shoulder?

 

Either way, they both knew that Liara and Javik would never have a perfect relationship, but he was the representation of everything Liara had worked for. Perhaps in some way, on some layer far beneath the surface, he excited her for being the polar opposite of everything she had been taught was fair and good. Just as she had rebelled against her mother’s Matriarch status by looking to the past instead of the future, she now turned to Javik, the ultimate Bad Boy who once enforced domination of the galaxy instead rather than mutual cooperation.

 

“If this is what you want, you know I’ll back off,” Shepard assured her friend with a squeeze of hand. “But we both know what else I’m talking about.”

 

Now Liara tugged her hand away and stood. “Shepard, I’d rather not discuss it. I have made my decision.”

 

Shepard stood and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Liara, you know I can’t just ignore this. We need to talk about it.”

 

Two days ago, Dr. Chakwas had confirmed that Liara was pregnant. The fetus was barely existent at this point, literally just a mass of cells. The embryo was Shepard’s, the result of one last, passionate union between them… their one, final fling before terminating their relationship.

 

“I do not see why we need to discuss this,” Liara stated stiffly. “It is my decision.”

 

Shepard frowned. “If you really didn’t want to discuss this, you wouldn’t have told me you were pregnant.”

 

“Amelia, I was excited when I first heard the news. I was also confused. It is rare for an asari as young as I to get pregnant.”

 

“But if you really didn’t want to hear my opinion, you shouldn’t have told me,” Amelia insisted. “Don’t I have some say on the matter?”

 

Liara sighed heavily and sank down on the couch, momentarily burying her face into her hands. “Yes, you are right,” she said slowly, “but I would rather not have this discussion. Shepard, this is my body and my choice.”

 

Amelia folded her arms as she regarded her soon-to-be-ex-lover with a frown. Back on Earth, a woman sometimes preferred to terminate her pregnancy privately, without her family or even the significant other knowing about it. It reduced shame, drama and, in some cases, social stigma.

 

Now that Amelia was in that position, where she was one of the parents yet not the one who had to bear the burden of pregnancy, did she truly have any right to tell Liara what to do with her own body? If she applied pressure to keep the baby, Amelia knew she wouldn’t be a good friend.

 

Not to mention this wasn’t the best time to be bringing a new life into the universe. The Reapers needed to be stopped first, and Liara couldn’t afford any distraction from her work right now. Being the Shadow Broker came first, especially in the present. They also couldn’t afford to start a nursery onboard the _Normandy._

 

Shepard relaxed her stance and slowly sank down onto the couch beside Liara, though not too close. “You’re right, the choice is yours,” she said evenly.

 

Liara slowly turned to look at Shepard, meeting her eyes. The asari’s gaze searched the Commander’s eyes, asking a silent question. If she got an abortion, would there be any part of Shepard that would hold it against her?

 

“Liara,” Shepard said, giving the asari’s hand a pat, “you do what is best for you.” She knew that if anyone told Liara that she didn’t have a choice, it would be denying individual rights. Shepard would not use her friend’s body to force her to carry a fetus to full term. If she did this, Shepard would no longer be able to call herself Liara’s true friend.

 

Now the asari embraced her ex-lover as a pair of crystal tears streamed down, staining her beautiful blue features. “Thank you, Shepard,” she said.

 

Shepard hugged her back, holding her tightly for a moment, knowing that this might be the last time she would get to hold her. Then she released her and pulled back. “I hope you and Javik will be happy together. And,” she added with a wry, half-smile, “when you guys have your first kid, name it after me.”

 

Liara gave a tiny chuckle that sounded almost like a schoolgirl giggle. “You have my word, Amelia Shepard.”

 

Neither of them said anything for a long moment.

 

Before the silence became too awkward, Liara stood and smoothed the front of her outfit. “I should get down to the medical bay,” she said softly. “Dr. Chakwas assured me that the procedure won’t take long and that it will be relatively painless, but there is no point in putting it off.”

 

Shepard nodded. “Get going,” she said.

 

Liara nodded, and walked out the door without looking back.


End file.
